Kuldeep Kashmiri
The world today stands at a dangerous crossroad. Every day, headlines scream of war, destruction and hatred – and the latest tension between Iran and Israel is one such dangerous example. Both countries are speaking in the language of fire and revenge. If they do not step back the entire world will be pulled into a storm of sorrow and suffering. This is not just a fight between two nations. It is a fight that has the potential to destroy humanity itself. The damage would not be limited to the warring sides. The tremors of destruction, the economic aftershocks and the emotional trauma would spread far and wide, consuming the innocent and helpless. Let us ask ourselves honestly: What will war give us? What will nuclear weapons achieve? Will a mother who loses her child feel satisfied because her country won? Will a soldier’s widow find peace in the name of patriotism? Will a destroyed city ever rise again with the same soul it once had? We live in an age where leadership demands wisdom, not arrogance. Unfortunately we see arrogance glorified as strength and warmongering paraded as nationalism. Religions which were once sacred paths to peace have been turned into tools of manipulation. Faith which should be a force of healing, has been twisted into a reason for killing. What we see around the globe is deeply disturbing from religious extremists to political profiteers and military-industrial complexes – all joining hands in the name of power. They exploit sentiments, spread fear and keep the world divided so they can rule from above untouched by the fires they ignite.
Among the worst offenders is Pakistan. It loudly speaks in the name of Islam but its own people continue to live in darkness economically shattered, socially unstable and politically misled. The country is no longer governed by statesmen or visionaries. Instead it is controlled by a nexus of corrupt individuals both in uniform and in civil attire who have no concern for the well being of their own citizens. They have mastered the dark art of weaponising religion not to uplift the soul but to suppress minds. Instead of empowering their citizens with education and opportunities they feed them hate and false heroism. While the poor in Pakistan suffer from poverty, unemployment and inflation their rulers dine in Western capitals, celebrate fake diplomatic wins and betray even those allies who once stood by them.
The recent behavior of Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir is a clear reflection of this hypocrisy. While his country bleeds economically and socially he was seen enjoying biryani in the White House and smiling for cameras even as he diplomatically betrayed Iran a fellow Islamic country with whom they often claim to share deep religious bonds. This is not diplomacy, this is pure opportunism.
This is the same leadership that once killed innocent civilians in Pahalgam for not knowing the Kalima and now it betrays those who do recite it in Iran. What kind of religion are these power hungry men propagating, where both kalima knowing & non kalima knowing are killed & backstabbed on the altar of their greed?
Their double standards don’t stop there. We all remember the India-Pakistan conflict be it the Kargil war, the Pulwama attack or the Uri assault in every instance the world saw Pakistan’s role as an aggressor and India’s response as measured but firm. When India carried out surgical strikes and air strikes against terror camps across the border it was not an act of war,it was an act of defense.A message that India will not tolerate terrorism exported by a rogue neighbor. Pakistan has long waged a proxy war in Jammu & Kashmir not with the goal of so called (Azadi) liberating people but to destabilize peace. Terror outfits nurtured on its soil, trained and funded by its intelligence have been the root cause of bloodshed in the valley. Thousands of innocent Kashmiri Pandits, Sikhs & many others were forced into exile, turned into refugees in their own country. Villages along the border in Jammu and Kashmir, once full of life, now echo with the sound of shelling and sorrow. Let the world not forget that over seven lakh people were displaced from Kashmir due to terrorism engineered by Pakistan. And yet it shamelessly continues to present itself as a victim before global platforms masking its crimes with lies and diplomatic gimmicks. These power games are not limited to South Asia. The Russia-Ukraine war is another horrifying example of what happens when ambition becomes blind to human life. What started as a geopolitical conflict has now become one of the bloodiest wars in recent memory. Cities flattened, children orphaned, millions displaced and still no end in sight.
What is even more shocking is the passivity of the global powers. Some benefit through arms trade, others through energy deals. The same powers that preach peace often fund wars silently. This two faced diplomacy has eroded trust in international institutions. The United Nations passes resolutions but those in power bypass them with military action. Words like “human rights” and “global responsibility” are thrown around but their meaning is lost in practice.
The same pattern repeats everywhere. The powerful become more mighty while the common people pay the price. Whether it is Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan, Yemen or Gaza blood flows, while global leaders give statements. The grief of a mother in Jammu & Kashmir is no different from that of a mother in other troubled part of the world yet their pain is used as a political tool. In such a world humanity itself is under threat. The conscience of mankind is being suppressed by weapons, propaganda and power politics. The world must awaken before it is too late.
I appeal to global leaders with folded hands and a heavy heart: Stop this madness. Step back from the edge. Think not as kings or commanders but as fathers, mothers, sons and daughters. Choose peace over pride. Choose dialogue over destruction. If this fire is not extinguished now it will become a wildfire that spares none. The time has come for the common people of the world – from east to west, from North to South to raise their voice. Let us demand accountability from those who govern. Let us stand for peace, not politics.
Let us expose the exploiters, reject the warmongers and unite under the banner of truth and humanity. Whether Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Jew or atheist we are humans first. And in the eyes of suffering all blood is red and every tear is the same.
It is not enough to pray for peace ,we must protect it.
It is not enough to condemn war, we must refuse to participate in its machinery.
It is not enough to be silent we must speak Loudly & Clearly.
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